ain their
course and approximate numbers, the captain then hastened on,
anchoring in Plymouth on the 7th of July. "I am sorry," wrote Nelson
when he heard of this meeting, "that Captain Bettesworth did not stand
back and try to find us out;" but grateful as the word would have been
to him, the captain was better advised to make for a fixed and certain
destination. At daylight of the 9th the news was in the hands of the
First Lord, who issued instant orders for the blockading squadrons off
Rochefort and Ferrol to unite, and to take post one hundred miles west
of Cape Finisterre. On the 19th of July Admiral Calder was in this
position, with fifteen ships-of-the-line, and received through Lisbon
the information of the French movements, which Nelson had forwarded
thither an exact month before. On the 20th Nelson's fleet anchored at
Gibraltar, and he went ashore, "for the first time since the 16th of
June, 1803." On the 22d Calder and Villeneuve met and fought. Two
Spanish ships-of-the-line were captured, but the battle was otherwise
indecisive. Calder hesitated to attack again, and on the 26th lost
sight of the enemy, who, on the 28th, put into Vigo Bay; whence, by a
lucky slant of wind, they reached Ferrol on the first of August with
fifteen ships, having left three in Vigo. Calder sent five of his
fleet to resume the blockade of Rochefort, and himself with nine
joined Cornwallis off Brest, raising the force there to twenty-six.
This junction was made August 14th. The next day appeared there the
indefatigable Nelson, with his unwearied and ever ready squadron of
eleven ships--veterans in the highest sense of the word, in
organization, practice, and endurance; alert, and solid as men of
iron.

This important and most opportune arrival came about as follows.
Anchoring on the 19th of July at Gibraltar, Nelson found everything
ready for the re-equipment of his ships, owing to his foresight in
directing it. All set to work at once to prepare for immediate
departure. When I have "completed the fleet to four months'
provisions, and with stores for Channel service," he wrote to the
Admiralty, "I shall get outside the Mediterranean, leaving a
sufficient force to watch Carthagena, and proceed as upon a due
consideration, (on reading Vice-Admiral Collingwood's orders, and
those which Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton may have received
during my absence,) may suggest to be most proper. Should I hear that
the enemy are gone to some